


Toad

by yeaka



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21994534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeaka/pseuds/yeaka
Summary: Noctis tries to cleverly avoid boredom.
Relationships: Prompto Argentum/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Comments: 15
Kudos: 94





	Toad

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don’t own any Final Fantasies or any of their contents, and I’m not making any money off this.

“Ready?” Noctis asks, maybe a tiny but nervous but mostly excited. He has full confidence in his abilities. Mostly. 

Prompto probably shouldn’t. But he nods anyway, giving Noctis a breathless, “Ready!”

He’s totally the best friend ever. He trusts Noctis implicitly. Noctis privately vows never to let that trust down, and then he does it—he casts the new spell he’s learned, and in a puff of green fog, Prompto disappears. 

A tiny frog sits on the floor of the broom closet. Noctis hisses a little, “Yes!” because he was obviously successful. The frog puffs up with a loud _ribbit_ , clearly sharing his exuberance. This opens up all kinds of new possibilities. For instance, Noctis can now tuck his bestie into his pocket and sneak him in to otherwise horribly dull royal duties. Noctis has often spent boring council meetings daydreaming about playing with Prompto under the table. Granted, he usually meant a different kind of play, but this is good too. It’ll also make it super easy to sneak Prompto up to his old bedroom later without anyone seeing. 

First up is the meeting. He bends down and carefully picks Prompto off the floor, unable to hold back a snort at how weird Prompto feels. He’s soft, delicate, but vaguely damp and borderline slimy. As gently as possible, Noctis slips Prompto into his jacket pocket. He can feel the tiny webbed feet maneuvering around, trying to get comfortable. Noctis reminds him, “You know the drill—croak three times in a row if you need to be turned back.”

Prompto croaks once, which might be acknowledgement, or might just be him clearing his throat. Noctis isn’t entirely sure on how frog croaking works. He probably should’ve done more research. But they only just came up with the idea this morning, and they spent the rest of the afternoon playing King’s Knight. 

As inconspicuously as possible, Noctis slips out of the closet. The hallway’s still deserted. Noctis heads into the elevator and punches in a floor that Prompto normally wouldn’t be allowed on, because he’s just a commoner. A really cool commoner that lets Noctis cast magic on him. Noctis just hopes his pocket isn’t too stuffy. He’ll definitely make it up to Prompto later. And hopefully there’ll be snacks at the meeting he can sneak down into his pocket—Prompto loves Citadel food. 

Prompto ribbits for no reason. Noctis pauses, waiting for two more to follow, but they don’t. The elevator reaches its destination, and Noctis steps up. He makes it down the end of the corridor, turns into the hallway just outside the council chambers, and then almost runs smack into Ignis coming around a different bend. 

Ignis gives him a startled look and notes, “Noct. You’re actually _early_.”

“Yup,” Noctis answers, itching to get past Ignis, because if anyone’s going to find him out, it’ll definitely be Ignis. “I’ve decided I’m going to start being more responsible.”

If Prompto were human, maybe he’d laugh. Instead, he croaks. If he weren’t a tiny defenseless woodland creature, Noctis would punch him. It hasn’t even been a full five minutes yet. 

Noctis gives Ignis a forced smile, vainly hoping Ignis won’t have noticed. Or at least won’t put two and two together. But of course Ignis gives Noctis a disappointed look and thrusts out his hand. 

Noctis weakly slaps it, like giving a low high-five. Ignis coldly tells him, “Give me Prompto, Noct.”

“Prompt? I don’t know what you—”

“There are only three people you would ever dare such foolishness with, and both of them will already be attending this meeting as _people_.”

Noctis is definitely going to dare to give Gladiolus the frog status at their next training session. Ignis, maybe not. Gladiolus is probably already waiting inside, ready to stand behind Noctis’ chair like a picture-perfect royal shield. Ignis gestures with his hand. 

Noctis mumbles, “It’s not hurting anyone...”

“Council meetings are serious, _private_ business. While I trust Prompto, I don’t trust you to remain focused in the midst of such a scheme, and I will _not_ allow you to sneak anyone inside against your father’s wishes.”

Noctis wrinkles his nose. He can hear the veiled threat: give it up, or his father will find out. Noctis doesn’t particularly want his father to know he’s mastered the frog ailment, because he might have to use it someday to sneak _himself_ out of somewhere unwanted. 

Begrudgingly, he scoops Prompto out of his pocket and deposits him in Ignis’ palm. Prompto blinks up at Ignis and croaks again. Somehow, his posture looks sheepish, though Noctis has nothing to base that read of frog body language on. Ignis holds out his other hand and says, “Now the Maiden’s Kiss.”

Noctis freezes. 

Ignis sighs, “Please tell me you had some form of remedy to turn him _back_ after your little charade.”

Noctis shrugs guiltily. He tries, “I was gonna learn Esuna next...”

“Oh, for the love of...”

Lifting Prompto up towards his face, Ignis addresses him. “Prompto, I apologize for this, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to wait outside. I will collect you myself afterwards and be sure you’re restored to your proper body.”

Prompto finally takes Noctis’ side—he tries to leap backwards, springing suddenly out of Ignis’ hand, but Ignis’ snatches him up with impressive speed. Prompto ribbits and flails helplessly, but it’s too late—Ignis strolls over to a nearby table with a potter flower on it and places Prompto into the top drawer. They can still hear him croaking after it’s closed. Ignis loudly reminds him, “If you keep that up, you’re likely to be found by someone else and driven out into the country.”

Prompto promptly quiets. Noctis gives his advisor a pleading look. It’d be insanely cruel to make Prompto actually sit out the meeting, and more importantly, make Noctis suffer it alone. 

But it’s too late, and Noctis can see there’s no arguing with Mamma Ignis. Ignis grabs his hand and tugs him off for the council, while Noctis calls behind them, “Sorry, babe!”


End file.
